Jim Browning, Ph.D.

After graduate school, Dr. Browning joined the Center for Electromagnetics Research at Northeastern University in Boston in 1988. While there he worked on microwave devices, space plasmas, and gated vacuum field emission devices. He also taught in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. In 1992 he joined Micron Technology in Boise, ID where he worked on the development of Field Emission Displays (FEDs). His work included test and characterization, device physics, packaging, failure analysis, reliability, device design, device manufacturing, and cost analysis. In 1999 he joined PixTech, Inc. where he continued his work on FEDs with emphasis on manufacturing development. In 2001 he became a consultant on FEDs and on other display technologies with work in display characterization and testing, device analysis, and cost analysis. He joined the ECE department at Boise State in 2006. His research interests include vacuum electron devices, electron secondary emission, plasma medicine, micro-plasmas, and plasma thrusters.

Education

B.S. and M.S. degrees in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1983 and 1985, respectively.

Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1988

Study of Microwave Vacuum Electron Devices (MVEDs) including Crossed-Field Amplifiers and Magnetrons. MVEDs are used in a wide variety of civilian, industrial, and military applications where high power density or high frequency are need or where high reliability is needed. Our research looks at using Gated Field Emission Arrays as the electron source for magnetrons and Crossed-Field Amplifiers in order to improve performance and operational capabilities. Research is both experimental and through simulation

Plasma Medicine. Atmospheric pressure ionized gases (plasma) have the potential for numerous uses in the field of medicine including treating chronic wounds and decontaminating surfaces. Our research looks at a novel plasma source for generating Nitric Oxide for chronic wound healing both by experiment and simulation.